I don’t know what’s going on. That’s my take. It’s bad for this format, but sometimes it’s okay to acknowledge the truth:
I. Don’t. Know.
Maybe it’s as simple as Josh Simmons’ back isn’t responding to treatment as well as the Kansas City Chiefs had hoped. Maybe it’s something more. I don’t know. We might never know.
Can we set the off-field drama and speculation aside for a moment and discuss this from a pure football perspective? I think the on-field ramifications have been lost in the discussion.
This is a really big deal for the Chiefs. A year ago, it felt like the Chiefs had finally solved the left tackle position for the next decade. That was no small feat, given the revolving door of players they’ve tried at the position since 2021.
That date matters because it marks the year the Chiefs moved on from longtime starter Eric Fisher. The following players have taken snaps at left tackle for the Chiefs in the five-plus years since Fisher’s release: Orlando Brown Jr., Joe Thuney, Prince Tega Wanogho, Wanya Morris, Jawaan Taylor, Kingsley Suamataia, D.J. Humphries, Josh Simmons, Jaylon Moore, Esa Pole and Kahlil Benson.
That’s 11 different players taking snaps over a 5+ year stretch. It’s not what you want.
Simmons was supposed to end this cycle, which felt endless. He was a ‘set it and forget it’ type of player. His talent was so immense and obvious that even an old-school Andy Reid didn’t try to manufacture a position battle between Simmons and a veteran at training camp. It was Simmons’ job, and there would be no looking back.
That is, until everything changed.
You’re familiar with the story, but just to rehash some of the specifics: Simmons reportedly left the team the night before the Detroit Lions game last season, ultimately missing the next four games. The absence has been often discussed among Chiefs fans, but it could have been an afterthought in his career if all went according to plan in years to come.
It very much has not.
We now know Simmons reported calf discomfort to the training staff on August 17. He was evaluated, and the medical staff was able to diagnose him with a herniated, bulging disc in his back. It’s never great to hear that a big guy has a back issue, but the team seemed to believe he could play sooner rather than later with treatment. Simmons tried treatment, attempted to ramp back up with a return-to-play protocol, and, according to the team, plateaued in his progress.
He’s now on injured reserve. It’s hard to say with any level of confidence he’ll play again this season. I can’t say with any level of confidence that I think he’ll play again for the Chiefs. That’s veering into speculation. Back to what we know.
This sucks. It’s unfortunate, because the Chiefs felt they had an answer at one of the most valuable positions on the offense. Simmons was expected to be a building block for years to come. That position is once again in flux. For those who take the team at their word, the franchise left tackle now has a back issue which could keep him out for months. For those that don’t, well, this is now the second unexplained absence for the franchise left tackle.
No matter your view, it’s a problem. The Chiefs are rolling with Kahlil Benson. He’s been better than anyone could have reasonably expected. He’ll be put to the test this weekend against Mike MacDonald and the Seattle Seahawks’ defense in a night game on the road. Maybe he can be the long-term answer at the position. Maybe not. He’s at least capable of solidifying the position for the here and now, which is more than the Chiefs have been able to say in quite some time.
I pray we’ll soon be able to talk about Josh Simmons the football player again and not Josh Simmons the enigma. Today is not that day. The saga rolls on. Next man up.
